The South Korea and United States have warned Vladimir Putin against strengthening military ties with North Korea, as speculation mounts that the Russian leader would visit the reclusive country in the coming days. But why South Korea and United States concern? let’s find out potential answer
According to media sources, Putin plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in a reciprocal visit following Kim’s weeklong tour to Russia last September. During that trip, the two leaders are thought to have agreed that North Korea would receive Russian assistance with its space program in exchange for assisting Russia with weapons for the war in Ukraine, in contravention of UN resolutions.
Russia’s Response to Weapon Use Claims
Moscow has dismissed reports that it is using North Korean weapons and ammunition as “absurd,” but debris from a missile that landed in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on January 2 was from a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile launched from Russian soil, according to UN sanctions monitors.
U.S. and South Korea’s Stance
Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state, warned his South Korean colleague, Kim Hong-kyun, this week that closer military links between Pyongyang and Moscow will lead to further regional instability.
The South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that “the two sides agreed to resolutely respond through airtight cooperation to North Korea’s provocations against South Korea and actions that escalate regional tensions, while closely monitoring related developments.”
Russia’s Perspective
This week, Russia affirmed its right to forge “very deep” ties with the North, raising fears that Moscow’s isolation on the world stage would drive it to give Kim’s dictatorship access to missile and nuclear technology.
According to Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, “it is our neighbor, it is a friendly country with which we are developing bilateral relations.” “We’re going to keep moving in that way.
“Our relationship has enormous potential for growth. We feel that no one should be concerned about our right to create excellent connections with our neighbours, and that no one may or should question it.”
Timing of Putin’s Visit
It is unclear when Putin will pay his first visit to North Korea since 2000, when he met Kim Jong-il, Kim’s late father. Officials at the presidential office in Seoul indicated it may happen “in the coming days,” while Russia’s Vedomosti newspaper reported he would visit North Korea and Vietnam in the coming weeks.
According to South Korean media, Putin’s trip could coincide with discussions in Seoul early next week between South Korean and Chinese foreign and defense officials.
Preparations in North Korea
North Korea looks to be ready to welcome Putin, who has embraced Kim as a crucial ally since Russia faced sanctions and international censure for its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Civilian aircraft have been cleared from Pyongyang’s airport, and there are indicators of a prospective parade in Kim Il-sung Square, according to NK Pro, a Seoul-based website that cited commercial satellite photos this week.
Historical Context of Russia-North Korea Relations
The leaders, who first met in Vladivostok in 2019, have expressed their respect for one another, but Russia and China have exercised their veto power against stricter measures aimed at the North’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Moscow overruled the renewal of an important UN committee that was keeping an eye on the application of severe sanctions against the Pyongyang government earlier this year.
According to North Korean official media, Kim stated in a message to Putin this week that his nation’s ties with Moscow had “developed into an unbreakable relationship of comrades-in-arms.”
Potential Military Collaboration
According to experts, the North may take advantage of the visit to boost its supplies of weaponry to Russia in return for increased purchases of food and oil.
The head of the Sejong Institute, Cheong Seong-chang, told South Korea’s Yonhap news agency that there is a good chance that North Korea and Russia may boost their military collaboration to a new level while they are still keeping tight military connections.
why South Korea and United States concerns- Conclusion
Main reason that why South Korea and United States concerns is the anticipated meeting between Putin and Kim Because it may result in deeper military relations between Russia and North Korea, South Korea and the United States are closely watching the planned meeting between Putin and Kim in Pyongyang. Fears of growing regional instability, North Korea receiving nuclear and advanced missile technologies, and additional provocations against South Korea are raised by this possible partnership. Such events would also jeopardize international sanctions and efforts to curb North Korea’s weapons aspirations.
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